Caravan Parks

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of people living in caravan parks on  (a) police,  (b) health,  (c) social service,  (d) educational spending and  (e) special educational needs spending;
	(2)  what account is taken of the number of people living in caravans in a local authority area when calculating the standard spending assessment;
	(3)  if he will review the allocation of funding to local authorities who have large numbers of caravan parks in their areas.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Funding for local authorities in England is the responsibility of the Department for Communities and Local Government. The local authority formula grant distribution system uses various evidence and data to allocate funding from central Government to local authorities in England. Detailed information about the calculation and distribution of formula grant for financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08 can be found at the following links, respectively:
	http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0607/lgfr067s/contents.pdf http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0607/lgfr078s/contents.pdf.
	The current formulae reflect a review which concluded in December 2005. This review involved local authorities and other interested parties and assessed the most important factors to be taken into account in allocating funding to local government.

Ministerial Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions he has stayed overnight in Wales on official business since his appointment.

Peter Hain: Due to disproportionate costs, this information is not available for the period October 2003 to May 2005.
	Since taking up my post as Secretary of State for Wales and Northern Ireland in May 2005 I have spent 74 days in Wales on official business.
	In addition to the time spent in Wales, the Parliamentary under Secretary of State and I undertake Wales business in Parliament and in the Wales Office at Gwydyr House, London.

A and E Hospitals

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average population size is of the catchment area of hospitals with type 1 accident and emergency departments.

Rosie Winterton: The data requested is not collected centrally.

Cancer Care

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the group comprising officials from  (a) her Department,  (b) the Department for Work and Pensions and  (c) Macmillan Cancer Relief since March 2005 to ensure more efficient delivery of benefits to cancer patients; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Since March 2005, both the Department and the Department of Work and Pensions have met with Macmillan Cancer Relief to discuss steps that can be taken to ensure that cancer patients are signposted to information and advice about benefits. These discussions are continuing and in particular, through proposals announced in the White Paper "Our Health, Our Care, Our Say" to develop information prescriptions for people with long-term conditions.

Cancer Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to alter the role of primary care trusts in the  (a) commissioning and  (b) contracting of (i) out-patient and (ii) in-patient cancer services; whether she expects elements of the (A) commissioning and (B) contracting process will be undertaken by organisations outside the public sector; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Commissioning is the process which determines how the health and health care budget issued. The process must result in a good deal both for taxpayers and for patients, whether this is for cancer or other services.
	Commissioning will not be the responsibility of a single organisation in a patient-led national health service. Rather it will be a partnership between primary care trusts (PCTs), general practice and local government.
	Practices will play a central role in the future health system as the integrator of services for each patient. With indicative budgets for almost all primary and secondary care services, practice based commissioners (PBC) will be discussing and shaping with specialist and other health professionals the best patterns of care in their area, ensuring that their patients have available to them health services that best suit their needs. PCTs will also act as the agent of their practices, securing and holding contracts on behalf of practices.
	The proposed new local involvement networks (LINKS) will have a key role to play in helping commissioners use people's knowledge and experience to improve services they use.
	PCT commissioning, PBC and joint commissioning are not alternatives. They are each essential components of an effective commissioning process.
	Different aspects of cancer care will need to be planned and commissioned at different levels, according to the rarity of the disease or intervention. The important thing is that commissioning is co-ordinated within the context of the local cancer network.
	The Health Reforms support health care organisations to provide responsive services closer to home, making NHS providers stronger with greater freedom to innovate and creating more opportunities for voluntary sector, social enterprise and independent sector where local people and commissioners see the need.
	The great majority of health services will always be publicly owned. The exact mix locally will be for patients, through choice, and general practitioners and PCTs, using the commissioning process, to decide.
	We have launched a national procurement of commissioning expertise, using a framework agreement and call-off contract. Accredited providers will be made available to the NHS locally to support PCTs in their commissioning functions, should they need such expertise or support. This would form part of the Department's programme to strengthen NHS commissioning by providing PCTs with world class commissioning expertise from the private sector.
	The revised Official Journal of the European Union advert makes it clear that no PCT can hand over to the private sector their public accountability for commissioning decisions.
	There is scope for a number of diagnostic and treatment services related to cancer to be provided by the independent sector. However, it will be important to ensure that any such services are provided within the context of the local cancer network and that standards of care/treatment are the same as in the NHS.

CCRT

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1278W, on Consultant Contract Benefit Realisation Team (CCRT), what the cost was of the CCRT; how the effectiveness of CCRT was measured; and what results CCRT produced during the time it was operational.

Andy Burnham: The Consultant Contract Benefits Realisation Team (CCBRT) was set up in March 2005 and the 2005-06 total allocation of funding was £595,000. The effectiveness of the team's work was assessed against its objectives to:
	examine the implementation of the consultant contract;
	assess the value of the consultant job planning toolkit;
	identify how clinical leads have been developed to undertake job planning; and
	identify benefits gained and disseminate good practice.
	The team produced a final report to the strategic health authority in May 2006 the lesson from which are still under discussion.

Clostridium Difficile

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which NHS hospital trusts have reported having patients in their hospitals with clostridium difficile in 2006;
	(2)  what guidance has been issued to  (a) NHS hospital trusts and  (b) NHS primary care trusts on dealing with clostridium difficile; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  which primary care trusts have reported having patients in their hospitals with clostridium difficile in 2006.

Andy Burnham: Data on the number of "Clostridium difficile" reports for patients aged 65 and over is available for national health service acute trusts from the mandatory surveillance scheme on health care associated infections. Results for 2006 are not available but data for 2005 is available at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/mandatory_report_2006.htm
	Reporting of data is the responsibility of the NHS acute trust and therefore data are not available for primary care trusts.
	The following guidance was sent to chief executives of NHS trusts and made available to Chief Executives of strategic health authorities and primary care trusts:
	A joint professional letter from the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Nursing Officer went out to NHS Trusts in December 2005 to remind them of the importance of this infection. This letter listed the key actions to control "Clostridium difficile" and highlighted the guidance available(1,2). The letter is at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PubliationsAndStatistics/LettersAndCirculars/ProfessionalLetters/ChiefMedicalOfficerLetters/ChiefMeicalOfficerLettersArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4125069&chk=cuQ7C%2B.
	As part of our delivery programme "Saving lives: a delivery programme to reduce health care associated infections including MRSA" a high impact intervention which is a tool to help reduce "Clostridium difficile" infections was published in June 2006.
	A simple guide to "Clostridium difficile" is also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/HealthcareAcquiredInfection/HealthcareAcquiredGeneralInformation/HealthcareAcquiredGeneralArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4115800&chk=wHehV/
	Although much of the current guidance is still extant we have asked the Health Protection agency to review the national guidance. Mandatory surveillance has shown a clear need to improve NHS performance and we believe that upgrading the level of surveillance and more rapid feedback of results will help performance. Therefore, we intend to move to quarterly publication as soon as it is feasible to do so.
	(1 ")Clostridium Difficile" Infection, Prevention and Management A Report by a Department of Health/PHLS joint working group. 1994
	(2) Guidelines for optimal surveillance of Clostridium difficile infection in hospitals Brazier JS and Duerden BI. Guidelines for optimal surveillance of "Clostridium difficile" infection in hospitals. Comm.Dis.Pub.Health. 1998:1;(4) 229-230.

Dr. Foster Intelligence Data Information Service

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been budgeted by her Department for the Dr. Foster intelligence data information service; what range of data will be collected by Dr. Foster; who will own the data that is collected; and whether Dr. Foster will be entitled to make financial gain from use of the information collected beyond the profit gained from the stated aim of helping to give people more choice.

Caroline Flint: The information centre for health and social care is a 50 per cent. shareholder in Dr. Foster Intelligence and is working in partnership with the company to transform data into products and services which are relevant, accessible and usable to deliver better care.
	The information centre for health and social care does not procure data information services from Dr. Foster Intelligence and has no current budget to do so.
	Dr. Foster Intelligence has competed to be part of several of the Department's framework agreements, making it eligible to compete for work alongside other preferred suppliers. However, the nature and value of the work is dependent upon the originating specification and terms on which any subsequent contract is let. Any profits made by Dr. Foster Intelligence are shared with the Department.

Drug Rehabilitation

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug addicts received treatment from GPs in  (a) Eastern Leicester Primary Care Trust,  (b) Leicester City West Primary Care Trust and  (c) England in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not collect information on how many drugs addicts receive treatment from general practitioners (GPs). However, treatment data from the national drug treatment monitoring system (NDTMS) is shown in the table for clients receiving GP prescribing for the treatment of drug addiction in Leicester (city) and the whole of England for 2004-05 and 2005-06. Data is not available at primary care trust level.
	
		
			   Leicester  England 
			 2004-05 164 28,305 
			 2005-06(1) 234 34,971 
			 (1) Provisional data based on 30 April 2006 dataset

Long-term Conditions (Needs' Assessments)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what measures are in place to assess the care needs of individuals with long-term and fluctuating conditions;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to ensure that individuals with long-term fluctuating conditions are adequately assessed;
	(3)  what percentage of individuals at the early stages of long-term fluctuating conditions receive social care.

Ivan Lewis: The national health service and social services Departments across the country work together, and with other stakeholders, to deliver high quality, timely and integrated care to those people who need it using the substantial extra resources made available to them by this Government and in accordance with the principles set out in the documents "Supporting people with long term conditions" and "The national service framework for long term conditions". Both documents are available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/LongTermConditions/fs/en.
	The assessment of needs is the responsibility of professionals and care staff who are accountable to their employers arid in most cases subject to professional regulation. Health and social care systems are inspected by the independent Healthcare Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection respectively.
	Information on the number of individuals at the early stages of long-term fluctuating conditions who receive social care is not available.

Midwives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the attrition rate was for student midwives in each academic year since 1997; what research she has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the rate; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Information for England on the percentage of pre-registration midwifery students who have left their university course is shown in the table. Each year represents an intake year. A complete measure of attrition for a cohort of students will include withdrawal figures for each year of their programme. No data are available for 2001-02. The attrition data for the 2002-03 academic year onwards administered by the higher education statistics agency are in the process of being analysed by the health services information centre.
	
		
			   Percentage of midwives failing to complete courses 
			 1997-98 18.23 
			 1998-99(1) 17.17 
			 1999-2000(1) 14.59 
			 2000-01(1) 6.7 
			 (1) This data is not complete as it does not include withdrawal rates for each year of the course for the intake year specified. 
		
	
	The Department has commissioned a small piece of research to determine the degree to which the main factors that are correlated with attrition rates are being actively managed by strategic health authorities and higher education institutes (HEIs); and to discover examples of good evidence based practice. This will enable a good practice guide to be compiled to assist strategic health authorities and HEIs with reducing attrition rates. The research is not evaluating the rates of attrition across all HEIs nor is it solely looking at midwifery attrition.

NHS Finance

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the total health service expenditure in  (a) Hillingdon and  (b) Greater London was spent directly on (i) health care, (ii) administration and (iii) prescriptions in each of the last 10 years.

Andy Burnham: The table shows data for 1998-98 to 2004-05, which are the earliest and latest years for which this information is available. Data given is the purchase of health care and expenditure on administration and prescribing costs by primary care trusts (PCTs), health authorities (HAs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs). Hillingdon expenditure is the expenditure by Hillingdon HA for 1998-99 and 1999-2000, by Hillingdon HA and Hillingdon PCT for 2000-01 to 2001-02, and by Hillingdon PCT for 2002-03 to 2004-05. London expenditure is the expenditure by the previous HAs, current and previous PCTs and the previous five SHAs within the London area.
	
		
			  Expenditure in Hillingdon and London 
			  £000 
			   Purchase of health care  Administration  Prescribing costs 
			  1998-99
			 Hillingdon 158,465 4,272 12,526 
			 London 5,207,554 124,105 288,496 
			 
			  1999-2000
			 Hillingdon 178,341 2,922 20,337 
			 London 5,944,972 139,267 631,696 
			 
			  2000-01
			 Hillingdon 152,255 6,256 23,308 
			 London 6,592,827 128,783 675,341 
			 
			  2001-02
			 Hillingdon 205,102 7,167 25,036 
			 London 7,329,212 186,883 728,603 
			 
			  2002-03
			 Hillingdon 209,492 n/a 26,846 
			 London 8,201,210 n/a 787,224 
			 
			  2003-04
			 Hillingdon 237,232 7,993 29,342 
			 London 8,749,018 342,751 861,691 
			 
			  2004-05
			 Hillingdon 269,946 4,366 32,072 
			 London 9,954,274 193,796 920,187 
			  Notes: 1. Prescribing costs—the Prescription Pricing Authority accounted for an element of prescribing costs in 1998-99; it is not possible to include this expenditure. Prescribing costs are also included within the purchase of health care expenditure.2. Administration—figures relating to administration costs are not available for 2002-03. The method of calculating administration costs was changed for 2004-05.3. Figures shown for purchase of health care are not the total expenditure, because expenditure accounted for by the Dental Practice Board and Prescription Pricing Authority is excluded. This expenditure cannot be included within figures for individual health bodies as they are not included in commissioner accounts. Sources:Audited annual accounts of London health authorities 1998-99.Audited London health authority summarisation forms 1999-2000 to 2001-02.Audited London strategic health authority summarisation forms 2002-03 to 2004-05.Audited London primary care trust summarisation schedules 2000-01 to 2004-05.Annual financial returns of London strategic health authorities and primary care trusts 2004-05.

NHS Finance

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the year-end financial position was for  (a) Hillingdon Hospital,  (b) the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust and  (c) Hillingdon Primary Care Trust in each of the last five financial years.

Andy Burnham: The data requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  £000 
			   Final outturn surplus/(deficit) 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Hillingdon Hospital National Health Service Trust 22 20 (963) 23 2,212 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 50 20 6 (3,217) 3,240 
			 Hillingdon Primary Care Trust 4 22 (672) (13,470) (36,506)

Trans Fatty Acids

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) estimated adult intake of trans fatty acids and  (b) recommended maximum threshold for health was in each year that records are available.

Caroline Flint: The most recent data available, from national diet and nutrition survey of adults carried out in 2000-01, shows average intakes of trans fatty acids at 1.2 per cent. of food energy. Previous comparable data from 1986-87 show adult average intakes of trans fatty acids at 2.2 per cent, of food energy.
	In 1991, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy recommended that population average intakes of trans fatty acids should not exceed 2 per cent, of food energy. No specific recommendations about the dietary intake of trans fatty acids had been established at the time of the 1986-87 survey.

Middle East

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials have had with the ambassadors of the Government of (i) Syria, (ii) Lebanon and (iii) Iran about Hezbollah terrorists firing rockets into the state of Israel; what reply was received in each case; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been in contact with his Lebanese counterpart to offer his support. As he told the House on 18 July
	"I have spoken to the Prime Minister of Lebanon. I think Lebanon is looking for international help. The precise way in which that is used and the implications for its own armed forces are matters for debate. I believe the Prime Minister of Lebanon wants to do the right thing. The people around him are desperate for some stability in their country and they feel very angry that they are caught in the present situation. We should be helping them in any way we can".
	Our ambassador in Beirut has also been in regular contact with the Lebanese Government.
	Our embassy in Damascus has been in contact with Syrian officials and we have also twice summoned the Syrian ambassador in London to pressure Syria to take action in relation to Hezbollah.
	We have had no recent contacts with Iran about Hezbollah but we will keep up the diplomatic pressure on Iran to comply with its international obligations.

Lebanon

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Government of Lebanon about the current Israeli attacks and incursions into Lebanon.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been in contact with his Lebanese counterpart to offer support. As he told the House on 18 July
	"I have spoken to the Prime Minister of Lebanon. I think Lebanon is looking for international help. I believe the Prime Minister of Lebanon wants to do the right thing. The people around him are desperate for some stability in their country and they feel very angry that they are caught in the present situation".
	I also held discussions with Prime Minister Siniora during my recent visit to the region. Our ambassador in Beirut remains in regular contact with the Lebanese Government.

Lebanon

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what date the Foreign Office expects to evacuate all British citizens from Lebanon who wish to leave the country.

Kim Howells: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff coordinated with the Ministry of Defence the evacuation of some 4,600 people from Lebanon. Around half of these were flown on to the UK at their request; others have gone on to other destinations. This evacuation was widely publicised in Lebanon at the time; the last scheduled UK departure was 22 July, because the British embassy in Beirut and all of those involved in evacuating British nationals judged that the numbers wishing to leave had shrunk almost to nothing.
	Those British passport holders in Lebanon who did not leave during the evacuation, but who now wish to do so, should contact the embassy in Beirut, or the FCO, for up-to-the-minute information. Full details are set out in the FCO Travel Advice for Lebanon, on the FCO website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c==Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386118.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, columns 327-8W, on Iraq, what form local government takes in each governorate; what powers it has; what responsibility it takes for local reconstruction; what role it has in the delivery of security; and what assessment the Government have made of its democratic accountability.

Margaret Beckett: Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Order 71 sets out the composition and powers delegated to local government. Copies of this are available at the following website at:
	http://cpa-iraq.org/regulations/20040406_CPAORD_71_Local_Governmental_Powers_.pdf.
	I will also arrange for a copy of CPA Order 71 to be placed in the Library of the House and for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member.
	This order was designed to improve delivery of public services by appropriately empowering government bodies at governorate, municipal and local levels. Each governorate may:
	raise revenue from taxes;
	plan/implement investment projects approved by the Provincial Reconstruction and Development Committee (including in partnership with international or non- governmental organisations); and
	carry out other activities that are not exclusively reserved for central government (i.e. foreign policy, national security policy and fiscal and monetary policies).
	Governorates are also responsible for overseeing the quality and timeliness of projects carried out by the Technical Directorates or relevant Ministries.
	National Security is a central government responsibility. At the provincial level the Iraqi police force, headed by a Chief of police, is responsible for maintaining law and order. Given the current security situation, the Iraqi army supported by multi- national forces also retains responsibility for security. Ultimately this will be handed over to the Iraqi authorities. The Iraqi police force reports to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. The Iraqi army reports to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence.
	Local government currently consists of 18 Governorate Councils (GC), each with 41 members, and a Baghdad GC, with 51 members. These were elected in the January 2005 national elections.
	Each GC is headed by a Chairman and is responsible for electing the Governor. Beneath the GCs are municipal councils (i.e. there are 15 in Baghdad governorate) and local councils (over 700 nationally).
	Our missions in Kirkuk, Basra and Baghdad constantly monitor and report on the political progress in Iraq, including the democratic process. That process is not yet complete; the next step in the democratic calendar is for Iraq to hold provincial elections. Through elections of provincial, municipal and local councils and direct democratic accountability for Governors and Chiefs of police, the system should provide a higher degree of (indirect) democratic accountability.

Iraq

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many licences have been issued by the Ministry of Interior in Iraq to UK private security firms in each of the last 12 months.

Kim Howells: By the end of 2005, 37 private military/security companies (PMSC'S) of all nationalities were registered with the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. However, owing to changes in regulatory requirements from the Ministry of Interior all licences expired this year and were not renewed. The Ministry of Interior has issued new criteria and under these only three companies have been registered, all of which are Iraqi. Some UK PMSC's have applied under the new criteria and their licences are currently being processed.

Albania

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what  (a) financial and  (b) technical help is being given to Albania by (i) the EU and (ii) her Department for the purpose of tackling human trafficking in the country; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent representations she has made to her Albanian counterpart regarding human trafficking in Albania;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of progress made in tackling human trafficking in Albania; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: I take the trafficking of human beings and the wider issue of organised crime in Albania seriously. Working to reduce these activities is a priority.
	Most recently, in March this year my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Dr. Howells, visited Tirana and as part of his discussions with senior Ministers in the Albanian Government, including the Prime Minister, raised the issue of human trafficking. Our Ambassador in Tirana regularly raises the subject with Ministers.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing £238,000 to the International Organisation for Migration to implement an information campaign, including training media professionals in responsible reporting of trafficking issues, establish a national telephone hotline to provide information on safe migration, and for the public to report instances of human trafficking. We have also provided over £250,000 to a establish a forensic laboratory which contributes to the identification of forged documents.
	Since 2001, through the Community Assistance for Reconstruction and Development Programme the EU have provided over €19.5 million on projects to improve border policing and the establishment and implementation of migration strategies. The end goal is for Albania to have the capacity and techniques to prevent trafficking for itself.
	We welcome the increased international presence in this area and the commitment of the Albanian Government to tackle it.

FIFA World Cup

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans  (a) she and  (b) Ministers in her Department have to attend matches at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not attend any games at the FIFA World Cup 2006.
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, and my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon, attended one game each during the World Cup in Germany.
	My noble Friend Lord Triesman attended England v. Sweden Group B match on 20 June 2006 in Cologne. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe attended the England v. Ecuador second round match on 25 June 2006 in Stuttgart. Tickets for both matches were provided by the local state authorities. During their visits to Germany they also met with Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials providing services for British nationals travelling to the World Cup.
	All travel and accommodation was arranged in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers. The total cost of the visits to Germany including officials was £2,940.60.

Immigration

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterparts in  (a) Libya,  (b) Tunisia and  (c) Algeria on their plans to tackle illegal immigration from North Africa to Europe.

Kim Howells: pursuant to the reply, 12 July 2006, Official Report, c.1912W
	I regret that an inaccurate answer was given to part of the hon. Member's question. The answer given states that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon, visited Algeria and Libya on 7-8 June and 25-27 respectively. In fact, I visited both countries on the specified dates.

Israel

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what defence equipment has been provided to Israel from the  (a) UK and  (b) EU in the last five years.

Geoff Hoon: The UK publishes details of all export licences issued in its Annual (and now Quarterly) Reports on Strategic Export Controls. This includes a summary of goods by destination. All reports from 1997 can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Pagc&cid=1007029395474. The Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls for 2005 will be published later this month.
	The EU also publishes an annual report on arms exports from EU member states.
	This information is available on the EU's website at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showpage.asp?id=408&lang=en&mode=g .

Private Security Companies

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to publish a White Paper on the regulation of UK private security companies operating abroad.

Kim Howells: In late 2004, my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) requested a review by officials of the options for the regulation of the overseas operations of private military and security companies (PMSCs) registered in or operating from the United Kingdom. The aim was to follow up on the Green Paper of 2002, Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation, and to respond to the increase in the activities of PMSCs in areas of conflict overseas. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is currently discussing the review recommendations with Ministerial colleagues: the review highlighted complex issues that need full consideration before a decision is taken on the way forward.
	The Government will keep Parliament fully informed of its proposals in this area. Should we consider a regulatory regime appropriate then we would publish the proposals in the form of a white paper or consultation document to allow for comments from all interested parties.

Alternative Aircraft Fuels

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will examine options for development of alternatives to kerosene as a fuel for aircraft.

Gillian Merron: The UK project "The Potential for Renewable Energy Sources in Aviation" produced by Imperial College Centre for Energy, Policy and Technology in 2003 for DTI, studied the options for potential renewable fuels for civil aviation. The study examined a whole range of alternative fuels and energy sources. Any viable option would be significantly more expensive to produce than the cost of kerosene today. In general, renewable fuels are more likely to be used for road transport or electricity generation in preference to aviation.
	The full report can be found at:
	http://www.iccept.ic.ac.uk/pdfs/PRESAV%20final%20report%2003Sep03.pdf

Departmental Correspondence

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 489-90W to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East, on departmental correspondence, what the cost was of processing returned letters where the addressee has moved away or died.

Gillian Merron: No information is available other than for the costs involved in the investigation and handling of undelivered vehicle Registration Certificates. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency estimate that the cost of handling all undelivered Registration Certificates is approximately £160,000 annually. This amount relates to all undelivered, Certificates including those returned where the addressee has moved away or has died, which together account for approximately 13.5 per cent. of the total undelivered.

Departmental Data

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 490-1W, to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East, on departmental data, with which other  (a) departments and  (b) public sector organisations his Department shares data.

Gillian Merron: The Agencies listed in the answer given on 10 January 2006 share data with other  (a) departments, and  (b) public sector organisations, on the following basis:
	 DVLA
	Government Departments that have statutory powers to obtain information from DVLA include:
	HM Revenue and Customs for tax related purposes
	Child Support Agency to trace absent parents
	Court Service for enforcement of fines etc
	Environment Agency for investigating criminal offences
	Criminal Case Review Commission for investigating criminal cases
	Department of Work and Pensions for investigating benefit fraud
	Other Department of Transport Agencies
	What information is released and for what purpose is prescribed in the applicable legislation.
	Public Sector organisations that receive information include:
	Local Authorities investigating an offence or a decriminalised parking contravention
	Trading Standards offices investigating vehicle related offences
	Transport for London for the enforcement of congestion charging schemes
	Local Authorities/Housing Associations dealing with abandoned vehicles
	Regulations permitting the release of information to public sector organisations apply only to information held on the vehicle register. Information held on the driver register is not released.
	 DSA
	Data is currently shared on a regular basis with DfT and all of its Agencies, including DVLA.
	On a case-by-case basis, information has also been released to the following Government Departments and Public Sector bodies
	HM Revenue and Customs
	Department for Work and Persons
	Child Support Agency
	Traffic Commissioners
	Passport Office
	Immigration Service
	Public Carriage Service
	Environmental Health Department
	NHS Fraud Investigators
	Police
	Local Authorities
	 MCA
	The Agency does not share data with other Departments or Public Sector organisations as a matter of routine, although specific requests from law enforcement bodies are considered on a case-by-case basis.
	 VOSA
	The Agency does not share data with other Departments or Public Sector organisations.

Illegal Imports (Animal Products)

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought in each of the last six years for illegally importing products of animal origin into the UK; and how many resulted in a custodial sentence.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have had responsibility for -anti smuggling controls on products of animal origin since 11 April 2003.
	The number of prosecutions taken forward by HMRC for products of animal origin (POAO) illegal imports offences, is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  April to March  Number of prosecutions 
			 2003-04 0 
			 2004-05 7 
			 2005-06 2 
		
	
	All prosecutions were successful.
	Of these nine prosecutions, one conviction (in June 2005) resulted in the imposition of a 28-day custodial sentence. The most recent prosecution led to a fine and the individual found guilty was deported.
	Details of prosecutions taken by local authorities, specifically for offences relating to illegal imports meat into the UK, are not held centrally.

Winter Deaths

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many excess winter deaths there were in each London borough in 2005.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many excess winter deaths there were in London borough in 2005. I am replying in her absence. (88550)
	The latest available figures on excess winter deaths (the excess number of deaths each winter compared to the average during other months of the year) for local authorities are for 2003/2004. Figures for London boroughs were given in a Written Answer on 17(th) Novemebr2005 (Hansard Column 1574W), in response to a previous question of yours.
	Estimates for 2004/5 are expected to be published in November 2006.
	[Continued in Column 1401W ]

Cycling

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to promote cycling in Northern Ireland.

David Cairns: The Department for Regional Development's Roads Service promotes cycling in Northern Ireland from two perspectives. Firstly, it continues to invest some £800,000 per annum on the cycling infrastructure to improve facilities for cyclists and to make cycling as safe as is possible. This includes the creation of further cycle lanes (both traffic free and on-road); the provision of town centre bicycle parking facilities; and the installation of toucan crossings for cyclists at key points on the network.
	Secondly, through its annual Northern Ireland Travelwise initiative, Roads Service promotes a series of highly marketed cycling events during National Bike Week. This year Bike Week took place from 17-25 June 2006 when some 400 cyclists participated in events across Northern Ireland. I understand that there are plans to organise further cycling events in the years ahead.
	In partnership with the NI tourist board, the Environment and Heritage Service and the Health Promotion Agency, Roads Service co-funds a project to promote all types of cycling across Northern Ireland. As a result 'Cycle Northern Ireland' was established in 2005 and currently employs a dedicated marketing team whose aim is to promote cycling for the domestic/out of state markets; to raise awareness of the product available; and to encourage cycling as a mode of transport and as a leisure pursuit.
	Additionally, Roads Service in conjunction with representatives from the six councils in the Belfast metropolitan area (BMA); Sustrans, the UK's leading sustainable transport charity; and Cycle NI have formed the Greater Belfast Cycle Marketing Group with the aim of co-ordinating the promotion of cycling within the BMA.
	The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), through its Rural Development Programme 2001-06 (RDP), has allocated some £1,347,000 to assist Sustrans on a number of practical projects to extend the National Cycle Network.
	The RDP has also provided approximately £113,000 of funding to the Countryside Access and Activities Network to develop cycling trails on DARD's Forest Service properties at Castle Archdale Forest, Co Fermanagh, Gosford Forest Park, Co Armagh and Castlewellan Forest Park, Co Down and a further £42,000 has been allocated to Fermanagh district council for the development of a cycling trail at Florencecourt Forest Park in Co Fermanagh. £18,000 has been allocated to Ordnance Survey NI to develop Sperrins cycling route maps.
	The Forest Service also continues to work with organisations including Sustrans to facilitate the development of the National Cycling Network through the provision of cycling routes through public forests. Cycle trails now exist in, or pass through, 11 Forest Service properties, and the Service has a target this year to publish operational guidelines for cycling in forests.
	The Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) through the Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI) is currently working with the Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) on the development of a series of family trails; cross-country trails; and downhill trails at a variety of sites across Northern Ireland. These will provide cyclists of all ages and abilities from within Northern Ireland and overseas with the opportunity to participate in quality off-road cycling in a planned, managed and safe environment.
	The first off-road family cycling trail, the Craigavon Lakes Mountain Bike Trail, was opened by the then Minister, Mr. Hanson, in September 2005. This trail is approximately 10 km long and is designed to be robust, sustainable and rideable in all weathers. The SCNI awarded funding of some 36,000 from lottery to support the development of this project
	Three further off-road family cycling trails are planned for development by CAAN in the coming year and a total of 26 trails are planned for sites throughout Northern Ireland.
	In the past three years SCNI has provided some £110,000 to Cycling Ulster, the governing body of cycling in Northern Ireland, to support the continuing promotion and development of the sport. SCNI, through its Athlete Support Programme, also invested almost £149,000 in 12 high performance cyclists over the last three years and recently undertook a study on feasibility of a multi-purpose cycling Velodrome in Northern Ireland at the request of Cycling Ulster.

Nursing

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what bursary entitlements are available for nursing students from Northern Ireland who study in Great Britain.

Paul Goggins: Throughout the United Kingdom, the funding of student nurse training, including bursary support, is the responsibility of the Health Department in whose area the course of study is being undertaken.
	The following table details the bursary support available for nursing students from Northern Ireland studying in Great Britain for the academic year 2006-07.
	
		
			  Student support for pre-registration nursing students for academic year 2006-07 
			  £ 
			   England  Scotland  Wales 
			 Personal Bursary (1)5,983 5,990 5,983 
			 Over 26 Allowance (2)682 755 (2)682 
			 Initial Expenses 55 55 55 
			 Dependants Allowance Means tested Means tested Means tested 
			 Single Parent Allowance (2)1,026 non means tested 1,210 non means tested (2)1,026 non means tested 
			 Child Care Allowance (3)85 per cent. of costs (means-tested/ceiling imposed) Up to £1,130 (non-means tested) (3)85 per cent. of costs (means-tested/ceiling imposed 
			 Pregnancy/Childbirth Allowance (4)Ceiling of 45 weeks bursary entitlement Bursary entitlement continued (detail not yet available) (4)Ceiling of 45 weeks bursary entitlement 
			 (1 )In England students undertaking the degree programme apply for a means-tested bursary with a student loan while those on the diploma course are eligible for a non-means tested bursary only.(2) In England and Wales if students receive the over 26 allowance, they may not receive the single parent allowance also.(3) Child care allowance paid for registered child care—ceiling £117 for one child, £174 for two or more children per week. Scotland pays a contribution to child care up to a ceiling of £1,130 per annum.(4) England and Wales have introduced interim arrangements to continue to pay bursary support to students who are absent from their course due to pregnancy and childbirth for a period up to  45 weeks.

Plagiocephaly

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of children in the Province who have plagiocephaly.

Paul Goggins: The number of children in the Province with plagiocephaly is not known.
	However it is possible to provide the number of children admitted to hospital with a primary or secondary diagnosis of plagiocephaly. Data has been provided for the last three years.
	
		
			  Number of admissions( 1)  to a hospital in Northern Ireland for children( 2)  with a primary or secondary diagnosis of plagiocephaly( 3)  for the years 2002-03 to 2004-05 
			   Number 
			 2002-03 26 
			 2003-04 28 
			 2004-05 34 
			 (1) Deaths and Discharges are used as an approximation for admissions.(2) Children have been defined as under 16.(3) Plagiocephaly has been defined using ICD10 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision) code Q67.3. Source: Hospital Inpatients System.

Science Teaching

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils started  (a) AS-levels and  (b) A-levels in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; how many students chose science as an A or AS-level subject in Northern Ireland in each year; and how many undergraduate students at universities in Northern Ireland chose science or environmental studies as their main area of study in each year.

Maria Eagle: Information on the number of pupils who started AS-levels is not available. The remaining data is as follows:
	
		
			   School A2-level entries  School A2-level science entries  First year enrolments on undergraduate science or environmental studies courses 
			 1997-98 9,310 3,643 1,084 
			 1998-99 9,199 3,694 1,093 
			 1999-2000 8,962 3,794 990 
			 2000-01 9,172 3,879 979 
			 2001-02 9,280 3,907 1,184 
			 2002-03 9,726 3,883 1,330 
			 2003-04 10,382 4,209 1,293 
			 2004-05 10,919 4,173 1,431 
			  Notes:1. GCE A-level only, not equivalent qualifications such as AVCEs.2. A-level science denotes those pupils studying Physics, Chemistry and Biology.3. Science or environmental studies courses at HE level include HESA subject groups Biological sciences and Physical sciences.HE Figures are based on a snapshot of enrolments at 1 December within the academic year.

Sustainable Development

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what strategies for sustainable development the Northern Ireland Office has in place.

Peter Hain: The Northern Ireland Office is working along side the Northern Ireland Departments in developing strategies for Sustainable Development and will have the same targets to achieve. I made a speech on this explaining my overall strategy in Belfast on 9 May, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
	At present the department is making a contribution to Sustainable Development on a number of fronts, including reducing waste to landfill through recycling schemes, contributing to the government carbon offsetting fund (GCOF) to make official air travel carbon neutral, purchasing electricity from renewable sources, replacement of oil/electric heating systems with gas, use of recycled paper, development of plans for use of energy from renewable sources at Hillsborough Castle, installation of a combined heat and power system at Stormont House.

Classroom Temperature

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what discusssions his Department has had with the Health and Safety Executive on minimum and maximum temperatures on school buses;
	(2)  what discusssions his Department has had with the Health and Safety Executive in the past 12 months on minimum and maximum temperatures within  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school classrooms.

Jim Knight: Minimum temperatures for classrooms are given in the Education (School Premises) Regulations, SI No2,1999 as 18C. My Department has had no discussions with HSE but has recently issued guidance about maximum and minimum temperatures in classrooms on the popular questions website(1). There are also Regulations applying to staff employed at the school, known as The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Regulation (1) states: "During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable." The guidance and Approved Code of Practice accompanying the Workplace Regulations do not specify maximum temperatures. This is because there are a range of factors which contribute to a person's thermal comfort and more vulnerable people can suffer heat stress and dehydration at much lower temperatures than others.
	The Department of Health publishes the Heatwave Plan that provides guidance and advice aimed at the public and ensures those organisations involved in providing health and social care services know what actions to take in preparation for, and in the event of, a heat wave. The Met Office website publishes the latest heat wave alert and forecast threshold temperatures for days ahead. There are certain groups that are particularly at risk during a heat wave and this includes young children especially those
	less than four years old.
	The Department is not aware of any minimum or maximum temperatures that apply to school buses and have had no discussions with HSE about that.
	I would also refer the hon. Member to the responses given today to her questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
	(1 )http://www.dfes.gov.uk/popularquestions/

Skills for Life

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the participants in the Skills for Life Strategy are  (a) male and  (b) female.

Phil Hope: Between 2001 and July 2005, the Skills for Life Strategy has helped 1,275,000 people improve their literacy, language or numeracy skills. Figures from 2003/04, the last year for which confirmed figures are currently available, show that 45 per cent. of Sills for Life achievements were by males and 55 per cent. were by females. The aim of the Skills for Life Strategy is to help all learners who may be at disadvantage in life and at work through poor skills to improve their literacy, language and numeracy ability so that they are better able to support their families, contribute to community life and perform successfully at work.

CAP/Agricultural Tariffs

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had on  (a) agricultural tariffs and  (b) the common agricultural policy with (i) the US Department of Agriculture and (ii) EU Commissioner Boel in relation to the Doha world trade talks.

Ian Pearson: My DEFRA ministerial colleagues and I, continue to meet regularly with Commissioner Fischer Boel and the European Commission's directorate-general for Agriculture and Rural Development to discuss a range of issues including reform of the common agricultural policy and the current World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations which include agricultural tariffs.
	We also have contact with representatives from the US Administration and other third countries to discuss issues including agricultural policy and the current Doha talks, and will continue to do so in the future. The European Commission has responsibility for trade negotiations, which take place within a mandate set by EU member states, and has regular contact with WTO delegations.

Energy Efficiency

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why his Department has revised the energy savings calculations for  (a) light bulbs and  (b) insulation.

Ian Pearson: Revisions were made in the light of new information arising from monitoring and modelling projects. Full details were published under the energy efficiency commitment (EEC) section of the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/eec/pdf/measuremix.pdf in February 2005.
	For light bulbs, the new factors were the use of an average saving across different bulb wattages and different bulb types; recognition that most households were now likely to have at least one compact fluorescent lamp, most probably in the most heavily-used light fitting, so the annual hours of use for new installations would now be shorter than before (thereby reducing the annual savings); and allowance for the heat replacement effect.
	For insulation, monitoring projects had indicated that actual energy savings were rather lower than expected from models. Additionally, in practice, the extent of the fillable cavity was somewhat smaller than the external wall area. Pending the outcome of further monitoring, the energy (and carbon) savings were slightly reduced. DEFRA has a continuing programme of monitoring and research to keep the savings from different measures as up to date as possible.

Environment Agency

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  by what percentage the Environment Agency has been asked to reduce its spending from the original level allocated for 2006-07;
	(2)  pursuant to the hon. Member for Reading West's Oral Answer of 20 July 2006,  Official Report, column 445, on the Environment Agency (grant in aid), by what amount the Environment Agency has been asked to reduce its budget in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether the budget for flood defences is to be changed; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: As part of the Spending Review 04 settlement, the Environment Agency was given an increased indicative grant in aid budget for 2006-07 of £573 million. However, following the initial budget setting exercise for 2006-07 this figure was reduced by 0.77 per cent. This amounts to a £4.4 million reduction.
	A budget review exercise is under way which is examining expenditure across the whole of DEFRA. No final decisions have yet been taken. Meanwhile, consultation is taking place with Environment Agency to evaluate the budget review proposals and options.

Farm Incomes

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average annual income was of  (a) farms and  (b) hill farms in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Cumbria, and (iii) Westmorland and Lonsdale in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: Farm incomes for England since 1997 are given in the table as follows. Grazing livestock (less favoured area) is equivalent to hill farms
	
		
			  Net farm income( 1)  by farm type, England 1997-08 to 2004-05 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01 ( 2) 2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Nominal Terms 
			 Cereals 18,400 8,400 15,300 7,500 5,900 13,200 36,400 15,600 
			 General Cropping 20,000 35,800 7,400 18,600 17,500 15,600 56,800 32,200 
			 Horticulture 22,000 22,500 20,100 21,600 35,400 34,600 40,600 28,400 
			 Dairy 19,700 11,600 9,200 14,000 30,900 16,400 23,600 26,400 
			 Grazing Livestock (Less Favoured Area) 12,700 6,200 5,600 5,900 7,400 17,700 15,000 13,400 
			 Grazing Livestock (Lowland) 2,200 1,700 500 -400 -100 6,400 7,100 5,400 
			 Pigs 14,400 -40,000 -10,900 42,100 21,600 25,300 34,400 25,100 
			 Poultry 24,200 22,800 5,000 30,300 26,700 97,100 53,200 89,700 
			 Mixed 6,400 4,100 7,200 7,600 4,500 11,400 24,400 16,400 
			 All types 15,200 11,500 8,700 10,600 14,900 16,600 29,500 21,200 
			 (1) Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital of the business.(2) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory foot and mouth disease cull. Source: Farm Business Survey (FBS) 
		
	
	Farm incomes for Cumbria since 2002-03 are given in the following table. Data is not available for Westmorland and Lonsdale.
	
		
			  Net farm income by farm type, Cumbria 2002-03 to 2004-05 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			  Nominal terms
			 Cereals (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 General Cropping (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Horticulture (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Dairy 5,000 20,000 22,000 
			 Grazing Livestock (Less Favoured Area) 20,000 17,000 20,000 
			 Grazing Livestock (Lowland) (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Mixed (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 All types 16,600 29,500 21,200 
			 (1) Too few observations in the sample to give reliable estimates Welsh data is a matter for the devolved administration Source: Farm Business Survey (FBS) 
		
	
	Welsh data is a matter for the devolved administration.

Ship Breaking

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets he has set for the number of authorised ship-breaking facilities to be established in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: On 30 March, Defra launched a consultation to enable interested individuals and organisations to provide views on the Government's draft UK Ship Recycling Strategy. The deadline for responses was 22 June.
	The draft strategy does not set a target for the number of ship breaking facilities in the UK, as the establishment of such facilities is a matter for commercial decision. Nevertheless, the Government's strategy proposes a number of areas of action at the domestic level to assist in the expansion of ship recycling capacity, primarily through the provision of guidance. Further information is available on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/strategy/ship.htm.

Water Quality

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the water quality of the  (a) River Brent and  (b) Welsh Harp reservoir in Brent.

Ian Pearson: Water quality data for River Brent is available on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/index.htm. Recent figures for 2005 are scheduled for publication in August.
	Biological and chemical assessment is based on a three-year rolling period. Therefore, 2004 includes samples taken in 2002-04 inclusive, summarised in the following table:
	
		
			  2002-04 
			  Percentage 
			  Total assessed River Brent length which is of:  Biological quality  Chemical quality 
			 Good quality — — 
			 Fair quality 37 81.5 
			 Poor quality 63 — 
			 Bad quality — 18.5 
		
	
	The General Quality Assessment (GQA) is a grade D (moderate biological water quality). This equates to 37 per cent. (biological score) and 81.5 per cent. (chemical score) of the River Brent.
	The stretch from Wembley to Wyke Stream (13km) has a GQA grade E (poor water quality equates to 63 per cent. of the River Brent. Assuming that grade F is bad quality, this stretch relates to the River Brent into the Welsh Harp. There have been no significant changes to the water quality of the river in recent years. No chemical or biological sampling has yet been undertaken in the Welsh Harp Reservoir.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than  (a) two and  (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Current date shows that the department has 25 questions remaining unanswered as of 10 July 2006. Four are unanswered between two and three weeks of tabling and 21 unanswered in over three weeks.
	Delays in answering questions occur for a number of reasons including the need to obtain information from external agencies and other bodies, and problems related to the transfer of questions between Government Departments.
	The Department aims to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of them being tabled. This is not always possible but the department makes every effort to achieve this.

Petrol Stations

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many petrol stations there were in  (a) England and Wales,  (b) Cumbria,  (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale,  (d) urban areas and  (e) rural areas in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of petrol station in England and Wales and in Cumbria is as follows:
	
		
			  Year end  England and Wales  Cumbria 
			 1998 11,720 185 
			 1999 11,513 184 
			 2000 11,185 182 
			 2001 10,437 170 
			 2002 9,873 156 
			 2003 9,139 151 
			 2004 8,778 144 
			 2005 8,226 129 
		
	
	The data was provided by Catalist Ltd. and was first collected in 1998. Data on numbers of rural and urban petrol stations, and Westmorland and Lonsdale, is not available.

Helicopters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which  (a) medium and  (b) heavy lift helicopters are able to deploy to Afghanistan with immediate effect.

Des Browne: holding answer 17 July 2006
	I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 74-76WS. The helicopter support deployed to Afghanistan meets the operational commander's current requirements.

Benefit Claims (Appeals)

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many successful appeals against decisions to grant  (a) disability living allowance and  (b) attendance allowance as a result of (i) mistakes in interpreting medical evidence and (ii) unusable medical assessment forms there were in the last period for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: The information you have asked for is not available in the format requested as data is recorded by outcome rather than the grounds for the tribunal's decision.
	The following table gives details of the total number of disability living allowance and attendance allowance appeals received, the number cleared at a hearing and those appeals that were decided in the appellant's favour.
	
		
			  AA and DLA appeals, April 2005 to March 2006: Total received, cleared and cleared in favour of appellant 
			  Benefit  Received  Cleared at hearing  Cleared in favour 
			 AA 7,220 5,605 2,300 
			 DLA 82,330 71,125 35,495 
			  Notes:1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available2. Figures are rounded to the nearest five and may not sum due to founding3. 'Cleared in favour' is an abbreviation of 'Cleared in favour of the appellant' Source: 100 per cent. download from the Generic Appeals Processing System (17-07-2006)

Immigration Solicitors

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  how many solicitors in the London borough of Southwark provide publicly-funded immigration work; and how many provided such work in  (a) 1996,  (b) 2001,  (c) 2004 and  (d) 2005;
	(2)  what assessment she had made of the impact of the change in the number of solicitors in the London Borough of Southwark who provide publicly-funded immigration work on those seeking specialist immigration advice;
	(3)  in which  (a) (i) London and (ii) Metropolitan borough,  (b) county and  (c) unitary authority there has been a (A) reduction and (B) increase in the number of solicitors who provide publicly-funded immigration work since (1) 1997 and (2) 2001.

Vera Baird: The number of solicitors providing publicly-funded immigration work in Southwark for each year was as follows:
	
		
			   Solicitors  Total number of immigration service providers in Southwark including not-for-profit organisations 
			 2000-01 18 21 
			 2003-04 20 25 
			 2004-05 20 25 
			 2006-07 5 10 
		
	
	It is not possible to show earlier figures as before 2000 the Legal Services Commission (LSC) did not have contract arrangements with legal aid service providers.
	There has been a significant reduction nationally, as well as in Southwark, in the number of firms of solicitors carrying out publicly funded immigration advice over the last two years. There are a number of reasons for this including firms withdrawing from the work as a result of a significant reduction in the number of people requiring advice and the LSC terminating contracts because of concerns about the quality and/or cost of the work being carried out. However the LSC remains convinced that there is sufficient provision to meet the demand for services and that the main reason that people are unable to access legal aid is because they do not satisfy the statutory means and merits criteria.
	Changes in the number of solicitors providing publicly funded immigration work since 2001 by LSC bid zone is shown in the table below. It is not possible to show earlier figures as before 2000 the LSC did not have contract arrangements with legal aid service providers.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Bidzone  2001  2006  Change 
			 Birmingham 21 12 reduction 
			 Coventry 4 3 reduction 
			 Dudley 1 1 no change 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 1 0 reduction 
			 Sandwell 2 1 reduction 
			 Stoke Central 1 1 no change 
			 Walsall 4 1 reduction 
			 Wolverhampton 1 2 increase 
			 Brighton and Hove 1 1 no change 
			 Canterbury 1 0 reduction 
			 Crawley 1 0 reduction 
			 Dover 1 1 no change 
			 Eastbourne 1 0 reduction 
			 Gravesham 1 0 reduction 
			 Hastings 1 0 reduction 
			 Maidstone 0 1 increase 
			 Medway Towns 1 0 reduction 
			 Shepway 1 0 reduction 
			 Thanet 1 0 reduction 
			 Woking 1 0 reduction 
			 Worthing 2 0 reduction 
			 Bath 1 0 reduction 
			 Bournemouth 1 0 reduction 
			 Bristol Central 4 3 reduction 
			 Exeter 4 1 reduction 
			 Gloucester 0 0 no change 
			 Kingswood 2 0 reduction 
			 Plymouth 2 1 reduction 
			 St Austell 1 0 reduction 
			 Swindon 0 0 no change 
			 Bedford 2 1 reduction 
			 Cambridge 2 0 reduction 
			 Colchester 1 0 reduction 
			 Fenland 0 1 increase 
			 Hertsmere 1 1 no change 
			 Ipswich 2 0 reduction 
			 Luton 3 2 reduction 
			 North Hertfordshire 0 1 increase 
			 Norwich 2 0 reduction 
			 Peterborough 2 0 reduction 
			 Southend-on-Sea 1 0 reduction 
			 St. Edmundsbury 1 0 reduction 
			 Uttlesford 1 0 reduction 
			 Cardiff 5 4 reduction 
			 Newport 2 2 no change 
			 Swansea City 1 0 reduction 
			 Wrexham 0 1 increase 
			 Bradford 6 3 reduction 
			 Calderdale 1 0 reduction 
			 Doncaster 1 1 no change 
			 Greater Hull 2 0 reduction 
			 Huddersfield District 1 0 reduction 
			 Leeds 5 4 reduction 
			 North East Lincolnshire 2 0 reduction 
			 North Kirklees 4 0 reduction 
			 North Lincolnshire 1 0 reduction 
			 Rotherham 1 1 no change 
			 Sheffield 3 1 reduction 
			 Wakefield District 2 1 reduction 
			 Birkenhead 0 0 no change 
			 City Centre 1 3 increase 
			 Liverpool South Inner 1 0 reduction 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2 3 increase 
			 Barnet 4 2 reduction 
			 Bexley 2 0 reduction 
			 Brent 27 11 reduction 
			 Bromley 2 0 reduction 
			 Camden 21 15 reduction 
			 Croydon 5 3 reduction 
			 Ealing 21 11 reduction 
			 Enfield 2 2 no change 
			 Greenwich 2 0 reduction 
			 Hackney 2 0 reduction 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 8 5 reduction 
			 Haringey 27 12 reduction 
			 Harrow 11 5 reduction 
			 Havering 1 1 no change 
			 Hillingdon 3 0 reduction 
			 Hounslow 7 3 reduction 
			 Islington 22 7 reduction 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 5 1 reduction 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0 0 no change 
			 Lambeth 14 6 reduction 
			 Lewisham 4 3 reduction 
			 London City 4 1 reduction 
			 Merton 4 1 reduction 
			 Newham 25 11 reduction 
			 Redbridge 7 5 reduction 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2 1 reduction 
			 Southwark 18 5 reduction 
			 Tower Hamlets 13 5 reduction 
			 Waltham Forest 12 2 reduction 
			 Wandsworth 13 6 reduction 
			 Westminster 16 9 reduction 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2 2 no change 
			 Bolton 1 0 reduction 
			 Burnley 1 1 no change 
			 Bury 1 0 reduction 
			 Manchester Central 3 1 reduction 
			 Manchester North 3 1 reduction 
			 Manchester South 2 2 no change 
			 Oldham 2 0 reduction 
			 Pendle 2 1 reduction 
			 Preston 2 1 reduction 
			 Rochdale 1 1 no change 
			 Rossendale 1 0 reduction 
			 Salford 1 0 reduction 
			 Stockport 0 0 no change 
			 Tameside 0 2 increase 
			 Trafford North 0 0 no change 
			 Gateshead 1 1 no change 
			 Hartlepool 1 0 reduction 
			 Middlesbrough 3 1 reduction 
			 Newcastle 3 3 no change 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1 1 no change 
			 Stockton 1 0 reduction 
			 Sunderland 1 1 no change 
			 Boston 1 0 reduction 
			 Charnwood 2 0 reduction 
			 Chesterfield 0 0 no change 
			 Derby 3 0 reduction 
			 Leicester 9 3 reduction 
			 Lincoln 1  reduction 
			 Northampton 1 0 reduction 
			 Nottingham 4 3 reduction 
			 South Derbyshire 0 0 no change 
			 South Kesteven 1 0 reduction 
			 Aylesbury Vale 1 1 no change 
			 Chiltern 1 0 reduction 
			 Eastleigh 0 1 increase 
			 Greater Reading 3 1 reduction 
			 Havant 1 0 reduction 
			 Milton Keynes 0 0 no change 
			 Oxford 3 1 reduction 
			 Portsmouth 1 1 no change 
			 Rushmoor 1 1 no change 
			 Slough 3 0 reduction 
			 Southampton 3 4 increase 
			 Wycombe 0 1 increase

Casinos

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what previous connection Professor Stephen Crow of the Casino Advisory Panel has had with the Department in the past.

Yvette Cooper: Between 1988 and his retirement in 1994, Stephen Crow was the Chief Planning Inspector of the Planning Inspectorate. Prior to his appointment as Chief Planning Inspector he was a field Inspector determining planning appeals and other casework. Since his retirement he has acted as independent chairperson of Examinations in Public into the following:
	Regional Planning Guidance for the South-East (RPG 9)—June 1999
	Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Structure Plan—Jan 2001
	Devon Joint Structure Plan—June 2003
	Cornwall Structure Plan—July 2003
	Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Joint Structure Plan— June 2004
	NW Regional Spatial Strategy amendments— November 2004
	In undertaking Structure Plan examinations, the chair reported to the local authority concerned, not the Secretary of State.
	He also did research work on Completion Notices for DTLR in 2001.

Admiralty House

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans the Government have for the two empty official residences at Admiralty house; and what the estimated  (a) capital and  (b) rental value is of each of the two flats.

Hilary Armstrong: There is currently one flat vacant at Admiralty house. A decision on its allocation will be taken in due course.
	For information on the capital and rental value of the property, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire (Oliver Heald) on 24 January 2005,  Official Report, column 136W.

Civil Contingencies Act

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many local authorities have complied fully with the obligations contained in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 establishes a statutory framework for civil protection arrangements at the local level. Responders were given a six-month implementation period to put arrangements in place before the bulk of the duties came fully into force on 14 November 2005. The Act sets out clear roles and responsibilities for local responders (including local authorities) establishing a basis for effective performance assessment.
	The performance of responders against the requirements set out in the Act is assessed through their existing mainstream performance assessment frameworks. English local authorities' performance is assessed by the Audit Commission through the comprehensive performance assessment (CPA) process. The performance of local authorities in Wales is assessed by the Wales Audit Office.
	The Scottish Executive is responsible for making regulations and issuing guidance, under the Act, to local authorities in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, local authorities are subject to the non-statutory 'Northern Ireland Civil Contingencies Framework'.

Deputy Prime Minister

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the total cost was of the Deputy Prime Minister's  (a) private office and  (b) Central Policy Group within the Cabinet Office in 2001-02.

Hilary Armstrong: Support arrangements for Ministers include Private Secretaries, Special Advisers and Parliamentary Branch. The costs of individual Ministers' private offices are not separately identifiable, on my department's accounting system, from the overall support costs.
	The total support costs for all Cabinet Office Ministers in 2001-02 were £2,180,503. This period includes the General Election held in June 2001 and the machinery of government changes which followed. The total cost therefore includes support for three Ministers' offices to June 2001, and the Deputy Prime Minister and four additional ministers (one of whom, the Minister without Portfolio, was unpaid) following the General Election. These figures are therefore not representative of the typical annual running costs of Ministers' private offices.
	In addition to this, the total cost in 2001-02 of the Central Policy Group, from its foundation following the 2001 General Election, was £490,932.
	Both figures include staff pay costs and general office expenditure such as staff travel costs, IT related spend and office equipment costs.